Pictured: Left inset is the list of valedictorians and salutatorians this year (courtesy Central School District); Right inset is Aaron Hayes, who formed a non-profit chess camp for others to share (submitted photo).

Pictured: Farmer Olsen at the Original Farmers Market in Independence, where she is often stationed on Saturdays during summer.

Pictured: Marquis Spa sits empty on Stryker Road; Inset: Ron Singh, president of the Independence Airpark Homeowners Association during a recent presentation to the planning commission.

Pictured: A familiar city scene recently showcases the iconic downtown with trolley.

Budget Committee works long & hard to pass budget with cuts that necessitate city property sales

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 16, 2025

A 2025-26 budget that appeared to disappoint most – if not all – of the budget committee members who toiled over it was approved Wednesday, following a discussion that sometimes became intense. City Councilor Dawn Roden cast the lone dissenting vote.

The budget document will be sent to the Independence City Council for adoption.

Under the budget, the library will be closed one more day a week, though that action won’t take place until the fall, allowing summer programs there to go forward.

The Heritage Museum building is going up for sale, with plans being laid to store displays and artifacts on the third floor of the Independence Civic Center – the museum and the library will consolidate into “community services.”

One city park, possibly more, will be sold, under the new budget. All funding was removed for the 2026 Fourth of July holiday, “Independence Days,” though the city council endorsed forming a public ad hoc committee to explore alternative ways to finance it.

Also under the proposed cost-trimming, the Independence Civic Center, except for the police department, would be closed on Fridays – a potential move that seems to have generated more controversy among the public than with the committee members. Some residents have asked Trammart News for a dollars-and-cents forecast of cost savings – as well as the number of employee work hours – under a four-day work week. “There is a lot of non-detail on that one,” observed one homeowner.

The city budget committee began their meetings in the wake of an announcement of a $776,000 shortfall. And, at one point in the sessions, City Manager West told the committee: the city is "broke.”

At a meeting in late April, West explained that the library’s one-day-a-week closure could help the community adjust to more cuts, should they be necessary down the line. “If we reduce a day, it prepares the community for where they may have to go – it’s less dramatic,” she said. Once the closure goes into effect the library will be open four days per week. The library previously had undergone a one-day reduction in service in the 24-25 budget year – going from six days a week to the current five service days per week.

Budget committee members seemed to struggle with their decision-making, seeking ways to make the cuts less impactful.

But a motion for a small fee to be added to the utility bill failed. At times, both allegedly unconvinced residents and local media were criticized for their role in the circumstances – essentially the defeat of a levy last fall that would have provided funding for parks, the museum and the library. However, some attributed the failure of the levy to inadequate messaging.

Twice during the meetings, Councilor Shannon Corr and Councilor Dawn Roden clashed. They disagreed on how to characterize last year’s budget, which was sent back to the city for possible revision after Mayor Kate Schwarzler, then a city councilor, recommended taking that action. Roden repeatedly cited the shortfall this year as evidence there should be more discussion.

“I think that, as a community, we have to be careful that we do not rubber stamp what is in front of us. That is what we did last year,” Roden said. Corr responded: “I think it is irresponsible to say that we rubber-stamped it. We did not rubber stamp the budget.”

The city’s budget committee this year met five times and included far-ranging discussion. In one amendment, which was recommended by Finance Director Rob Moody, money from the Economic Development Fund was moved to boost the city’s contingency fund and cover the current year’s three-quarter-million-dollar shortfall. The contingency fund, which had been depleted, is largely reserved for emergencies.

Asked by Councilor Marilyn Morton if this constituted an interfund loan, West said it did not.

One recommendation that surfaced won wide agreement: That the city establish a series of budget-review meetings, possibly with a citizen-councilor committee, during the coming year. The aim of that committee would be to help flesh out cost-saving options before the budget document arrives in spring to meet the June deadline.

City manager West said she and Mayor Schwarzler would discuss the possibility of the suggested periodic meetings, which would take place much sooner than usual budget-committee meetings. ▪

The city budget document passed by the budget committee is scheduled to go for final approval to the city council in June. It can be found here: https://www.ci.independence.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Independence-BUDGET-2025-2026_-Proposed_-Final.pdf

Pictured: The council meeting where residents spoke about annexation (photo credit: City YouTube); inset: Corvallis Road resident Rick Hopkins.

Corvallis Road residents accept annexation for roadway but express worry about the future

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 16, 2025

Noting that City Planner Fred Evander failed to follow through on a promised letter guaranteeing homeowners a grace period against annexation of their properties along Corvallis Road, several residents who opposed the plan now seem resigned that it’s going forward.

The city council voted Tuesday night, with Councilor Dawn Roden dissenting, to annex the roadway.

After the vote, resident Rick Hopkins (photo), a 34-year resident, described himself as “saddened” that the tentative agreement from Evander didn’t materialize. In his testimony, Hopkins, who lives along Corvallis Road in Polk County and outside the city limits, said: “I would like to have seen you do something that would have some teeth in the future.”

However, in a brief interview after he gave public testimony, he said he’s “optimistic” that now it appears all the city really wants in the next several years is a “rights-of-way” annexation for the road.

Hopkins lives inside the urban growth boundary. Like some of his neighbors, he is worried that full property annexation into city limits will mean a hike in taxes to about $3,000 a year, plus a new set of city utility bills.

Michelle Lewis, who lives on the other side of the road, said she was concerned about the same thing.

During the previous city council meeting, Evander had agreed to issue a letter exempting current property owners from the possibility of annexation in the near future. However, there’s no risk that will happen – the procedural steps would slow the process and give homeowners plenty of time to learn about a move to do so, he explained.

Evander also corrected himself on another point; He had referred to the roadway as a minor arterial in the city Transportation System Development Plan, but it is destined to be a major arterial.

Lewis had sent correspondence to the city requesting that annexation be delayed for property owners for 10 years. Evander, Lewis and Hopkins all referred to ORS 222.750.5, which – under certain circumstances – can be used to delay annexation.

In his testimony, Eric Hill, a fifth-generation landowner in Independence whose origins date back to the town’s founders, said his notice about the annexation hearing stated that Corvallis Road was being considered for annexation in order to eventually meet higher street standards – but newer information showed it was for putting in a water mainline.

Public Works Director Gerald Fisher explained that both are reasons for the action. The water line is for the planned water-treatment plant, he explained. Without city ownership, “you have to jump through a whole bunch of paperwork hoops” to get federal grant funding, he said.

If that explanation had been provided from the outset, “it would have been easier to get behind it,” Hill said. ▪

Pictured: City Manager Kenna West as Gabby Walton speaks; inset: West during Trammart News testimony. (photo credit: City YouTube)

Editorial: Please city manager, can you pay attention to resident testimony?

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 16, 2025

Gabby Walton, who was given this year’s “Community Member of the Year” award on the 60th anniversary celebration of the Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce, took her place at the podium this past Wednesday night to speak to the city budget committee. As expected, one of those present was immersed in her phone. The same thing happened about a week before, with business owner Mitch Teal, when he made a similar presentation in public testimony.

Maybe I wouldn’t have noticed this alleged lack of attentiveness to speakers, such as merchants and residents, but some of those who have considered participating in city meetings by providing public testimony have told me they are reluctant to do so. Some have referred to the woman in the top job of the city, Kenna West, who just doesn’t seem interested. She is otherwise occupied, immersed on her phone or distracted by something else.

It seems to have happened repeatedly. So, I am writing this editorial about it.

Because, for me, tuning in to residents and tuning out of mobile devices has been a great learning experience. Nothing has proven more newsworthy than those resident and merchant voices. Nothing.
Resident testimony has led me to document the push for a toddler swing at Sunset Meadows park, which now has been installed; Resident testimony has resulted in raising safety awareness for the dangers of swimming in the Willamette River, which now has a new life jacket kiosk. These are just two of many examples.

And the importance of that resident or business voice seems to be the message from Walton, too, when she spoke this week. While West was face down in her phone, Walton advocated for “clear communication, more public transparency and deeper inclusion for families and community stakeholders” by the city.

Walton is a member of the Independence Days Commission and she noted there has been confusion lately over city processes, though she made it clear that the budget committee is seen as having been tasked with “hard decisions” that are appreciated. But there is a “disconnect” with local government that hurts trust, she pointed out.

For the past couple of years, it has been my understanding from city staff that West has barred them from speaking with me, apparently the only hyper-local press in Independence. She has indicated that she doesn’t like my press coverage. Since she came aboard more than two years ago, I have been unable to meet her expectations to provide routinely positive news stories. In fact, I often reported on the accumulating debt, and painful episodes, like the municipal pool closure and controversial land-use hearings.

The city's communications director, in spite of city policy directing media requests to be answered, hasn't responded to emails or phone calls by Trammart News in well over a year. 

A few weeks ago, when I was trying to ask a question of the finance director, in city council chambers, the city’s communications director grabbed me to interrupt that attempt.

That evening, in a shaky voice, I addressed the city council from the public podium about how wrong I felt that physical confrontation was – and then I got a taste of what it was like to be ignored while speaking. West concentrated on the white-box timer while I spoke.

The truth is that I don’t think I matter nearly as much as residents, and I would ask the city manager to take that into account. Won’t you focus attention on them during their public testimony? They are the lifeblood of the community.

Less than 24 hours after the budget committee meeting this past week, a 50-year resident of Independence, John Thomas, called me about the lack of public input.

“People now have three minutes to speak,” he said, apparently alluding to the council’s passage of a provision that cut the previous five-minute time period to three minutes, which passed a few months ago. It had the effect of further squelching free speech, he told me.

I believe it goes further than that – I think it can erode trust. I think that may be what Gabby Walton was trying to say Wednesday night.

The decline of public trust of government isn’t breaking news. The Pew Research Center has been documenting those losses periodically. But on a local level it’s been painful to see.

Last year, the assistant city manager of League City in Texas, which is about halfway between Houston and Galveston with a population well over 100,000 people, published an article that cited public trust as more important than solid evidence. That’s right. It is public trust that guarantees a win.

He recalled being taught that lesson the hard way – in his younger years, during an experience with residents when unarguable facts failed him in the face of low public trust. “Heck, I think I could have told them the sky was blue, and they still probably wouldn’t have believed me,” wrote Rick Davis in Public Management, the magazine of the International City/County Management Association.

So, City Manager West, can you put down your phone the next time someone from outside city hall speaks at the podium.

I actually carry no grudge about my own experience. I filed a complaint over the communications director’s treatment of me with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The complaint is still pending, but the sergeant investigating the matter told me it’s been deemed “founded,” and I think that’s likely the result of a video that clearly shows a grasping hand on my shoulder.

But maybe it was a blessing in disguise, as they say. I never paid much attention to how public testimony was received, and even turned a deaf ear to some residents who told me it’s a waste of time to provide it.

I guess it is never too late to learn a thing or two in civic participation. I hope the city manager feels the same way. ▪

Pictured: The rear entrance of the Independence Civic Center leading to the event center, where many of the budget meetings have been held; Inset: screen shot of The Independence Hotel’s Ginger Melton (photo: city Youtube).

Budget committee struggles with funding slash for Indy Days in 2026

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 9, 2025
 
Independence budget committee members seemed to be aware at their Wednesday meeting that the axe was going to fall hard on the Fourth of July in 2026 – and, when it did, their vote left zero dollars for city allocation of Indy Days.

Proposed actions to put dollars in a “place holder” fund for next year – by taking money from either the contingency fund or the economic development-loan fund – failed. “I urge that we do this,” said City Councilor Dawn Roden before making a motion to set aside $100,000 from the contingency fund – a motion that was defeated.

The “no” vote followed a warning by City Manager Kenna West about the city’s financial status.

“We have a fiscal deficit coming,” West said. “We have a cliff; We have a precipice.” She’d have to “shut things down” if the budget committee put her in a position too financially precarious for fixing emergencies, she said.

Two budget committee members, Alex Paraskevas and Bill Boisvert, had voiced support for a scaled-down version of Independence Days with far less need of city staff – and City Recorder Myra Russell confirmed down-sizing would require less revenue.

In fact, a more modest proposal for Indy Days was recommended last week by Brew & Tap’s co-owner Mitch Teal, in public testimony to the committee. On Wednesday, the same concept was advocated by Ginger Melton, sales director of The Independence Hotel.

Melton, who also took the public podium, expressed worry that if the city exited Indy Days entirely, it could have sad consequences. “What if no other organizations carry on with this event? Does the excitement over Independence just fade away like other small towns?”

Her coauthor on those comments, the hotel’s general manager, Joey Jones, didn’t speak at the microphone. But she conveyed her deep disappointment following the vote.

“I am disappointed that the entirety of the board didn’t see the value this brings to the community,” Jones said. Early on, meetings with downtown merchants, non-profit groups and interested citizens should have been held, or at the very least notified, instead of “me learning about this second-hand,” she said.

Although the city posted a message on Thursday stating that just such a summit had happened, including a digital survey, several residents said they never saw anything targeted to alternatives for Independence Days, any outreach seeking ideas or solutions.

Outside the meeting, budget committee member Dana Sharman, a longtime resident, stressed that in the not-too-distant past Independence Days was a largely volunteer-run event, backed by the city. It’s only been in the past few years, that a city staffer, with the title, downtown manager, had taken it over. That downtown-manager position is being vacated in August, and it will be left unfilled, according to West.

At the meeting, City Councilor Marilyn Morton emphasized that it appears no local group will be stepping in soon to take over. Neither the Independence Downtown Association nor the Monmouth Independence Chamber of Commerce seemed prepared to do so. The M-I chamber board voted down the idea, she said.

Morton predicted the event will become an “amalgam” of efforts “to make it happen.”  Traditionally, Independence Days has included family activities, music, food and drink vendors, and of course, fireworks. (Photo credit: City Independence Days website)

The 4th of July Parade isn’t affected by the current budget discussions – the project is carried out by Rotary Club annually.

Two committee members, Erin Seiler and Jesica Porter, pointed out that the city's financial squeeze was impacting the museum and library. The already under-funded budget is necessitating the planned sale of a park and the museum building, the proposed consolidation of museum operations into the library, and a reduction in library operations, among other city belt-tightening.

These proposed cuts may be on the agenda this coming Wednesday, as the budget committee convenes again to discuss how to adjust a budget affected by a reported shortfall of more than $750,000. The shortfall was explained in the question-and-answer information posted on the city’s Facebook Page; It was attributed to inflation and personnel costs. ▪

Pictured: Independence Elementary School, where parent Courtney Azorr has a child enrolled but is worried about several issues and considering another placement; Inset: Her Mother's Day photo.


Mom expresses frustration with alleged failure to communicate with district at school board meeting
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 9, 2025

Courtney Azorr, a youth soccer coach whose job is in Salem, said she’s made numerous attempts to contact school board members about concerns she has with her son’s education. She’s heard nothing back – no email was acknowledged, she said.

By the time she arrived at the school board Monday night, she was ready to put her frustration into public testimony. “What does it take to get a response from the school board?” she asked, adding that not one board member has contacted her. “Why is that?”

In an interview outside the meeting, she said she became concerned when her son started reporting disruptive classes at Independence Elementary School. She worried that learning was being lost  – IES has some of the lowest test results in the district, overall.

But Azorr believes her concerns were met with opposition and, eventually, she filed a formal complaint (see sidebar at end on district advice on steps involved). Despite her advocacy efforts, no “proactive communication” occurred at the school or at the district level, according to Azorr.

Then accusations about her own son began, which Azorr said she considered “minor infractions.” An attempt to suspend him was launched, she said.

"I felt it was retaliation," Azorr asserted. After the matter was settled, she decided to contact the school board again. She'd already heard about other issues that had gone before them, and she wanted to add her own.  She showed up Monday night to express them, in descriptions that ranged from “toxic” interactions to being ignored.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Board Chair Byron Shinkle said he does sometimes fail to communicate after receiving emails. “I should be better about acknowledging those,” he said. Difficulty in doing so include lack of time and the complexity of some correspondence, which includes a multi-layered process.

Board member Jann Jobe said she acknowledges a large majority of those messages she receives, and simply says “thank you for reaching out” before sending them on to a person who can respond appropriately.

Superintendent Jennifer Kubista said more clarity on how to reciprocate is needed – and will be addressed.

Azorr is one of several parents who told Trammart News they have reached a breaking point, with some deciding to remove their children from CSD 13J. One had a child within two blocks of IES and opted for a charter school much further away. Another placed a child in a Dallas school.

A few decided to go the private route. “I know there are many fine educators in the school district,” said Marty Manfredi, whose daughter is no longer in public elementary school. “But this just wasn’t the experience I wanted her to have.” Like other parents, Manfredi felt she didn’t want to battle uphill for change.

“We are always sorry to see families choose to transfer their students out of Central School District,” said CSD’s Communications Coordinator Emily Mentzer, who was asked to respond. “At the same time, we want what is best for all students, even if that means going somewhere else,” she said. 

Some parents say the schools have become undependable – canceling classes for reasons ranging from computer outages to staff shortages. In mid-April, the Oregonian published a special report on teacher absenteeism and included school closures as a problem “in the small Polk County town of Independence.” IES was singled out as an example.

Trammart News reported that, in January, IES grade-schoolers spent as many days out of school that month as they did days in session, due to staff and teacher illnesses, holidays and computer outages.

The shift of parents to out-of-district alternatives poses a significant threat to the local schools in the words of former CSD District Superintendent Buzz Brazeau, who died in 2022. Before he left the school district, Brazeau, a onetime player for the NFL, told Trammart News that strong, engaged parents can be the invisible backbone of a school.

Like a team that performs well together, the loss of one star athlete may not immediately impact the winning record, but it only takes a few similar departures to turn the tide.

"I am just so discouraged. It shouldn't take this much effort for legitimate concerns to be handled. At the very least, there should be an open door of communication and transparency, " Azorr said.

The district is in the middle of some administrative transitions, according to a flurry of announcements this past week.

Central High School welcomed a new principal, Rick Dormer, who will be taking over in the 2025-26 school year. At CHS, Vice Principal Virginia Antunez, who is on leave, has that office filled by Jason Clark, a longtime CSD district administrator and Brian Green, who also has two decades of outside administrative experience – he is from Corvallis.

Ash Creek Elementary School announced that Jeremy St. Germain has accepted the role of the new assistant principal there.

 ------SIDEBAR: CSD’s Parent Complaint Process ------                                                                                                

When a member of the public or staff makes a general complaint according to the complaint process, the ultimate goal is to solve any concerns or issues at the lowest level.

1) Step one is to take your concern to the staff member involved. If that does not resolve your concern, you can file a signed written complaint with their supervisor/principal. After the supervisor/principal investigates the concerns, they will let you know of their decision.

2) If you are still unhappy, you can file a signed written complaint with the  superintendent, who will conduct an investigation and look into the concerns. She will then prepare a written report of her findings and her conclusion.

3) If you are still unhappy with the results, you may appeal the decision to the School Board. The Board may hold a hearing to review the findings and conclusion of the superintendent, to hear the complaint and to take any other evidence as it deems appropriate. That decision is final. The board of directors is essentially acting as a body of appeal for complaints.

4) A note of caution: An email to the entire board should be avoided; If one of them replies and includes all, it starts to violate public meeting laws. Technically, it's a discussion between the elected body that should be in public.
(Information on sidebar is provided by CSD 13J.) ▪

Pictured: Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge is a special home of the Fender's Blue Butterfly, a relatively rare species that proved hard to find this May; Inset: the butterfly on the outdoor wall of the Heritage Museum.


An essay on the hunt for Fender's Blue butterfly, a living hidden treasure in the Willamette Valley
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 9, 2025
I feel compelled to explain why I spent quite a bit of time recently going uninvited into yards in Independence, snooping through foliage by the Willamette River and, in one memorable moment, tripping for no reason whatsoever on a bank by Ash Creek in Pioneer Park. 

I wondered if anyone saw me and thought: “Well, now we have proof that this woman really is unbalanced.” 

I was searching for the Fender’s Blue Butterfly. 

The reason is so corny you may feel like reaching for the butter and a saltshaker. I saw this little one-inch winged flyer in the spring after I started the news outlet nine years ago, Trammart News, which is now bringing you an account of this trip down memory lane. I took my butterfly encounter as a sign. 

I was in Riverview Park, working on an article, and periodically contemplating why on a rare spring day I would be seated at a picnic table typing, for Pete’s sake, instead of … frolicking!  A tiny sky-blue butterfly landed near me. The back-and-forth motion of its wings looked like a happy wink. 

For those of you who think a four-leaf clover is a sign of good luck, let me assure you that in the prairie state where I grew up, it’s a butterfly – one that stops close enough to touch. Midwestern mythology also suggests that it means you’re on the right path. 

When I learned that it was a Fender’s Blue Butterfly, an endangered species, I knew the universe had given me a positive, fatalistic tap because I obviously was, y’know, so special and all. 

After all, there is only one place in the whole wide world it exists. That’s right: The Willamette Valley. 
So, this spring, when I noticed a painting of a Fender’s Blue Butterfly, in all its blue-blazing glory, on the outside wall of the Heritage Museum, I thought it was another sign. Not that I am that big on signs, actually. But it seemed time to go find one, to snap a picture, and to share a photo of this beautiful little creature. 

I searched to no avail. Independence resident Ginger Bowman, who walks daily through town and by the river, hadn’t seen any butterfly matching that description. Several people looked at me as if I was loony-tunes for even asking. 

One guy told me to go look on the wall across from the post office, where the  museum building had one displayed, if I wanted to see a blue butterfly. What extraordinarily helpful advice. 

Another Independence resident, Patrick Melendy, posted online that they could be found on Marys Peak. Indeed, they are, according to the scientific literature. But having stumbled over nothing at all on my quest by Ash Creek, I figured a hike to a high place was probably not in my environmental wheelhouse. 

In desperation, I asked all three of our Polk County commissioners after their board meeting Wednesday if they’d seen one. Why? They all live in rural areas. 

Alas, this is the first time I’ve ever gotten blank looks from these elected officials. How could that have happened? This county is one of the very few places these butterflies even exist! 

Fortunately, there was a visitor that day from the Yamhill County Board of Commissioners, Bubba King. Yes, that really is his name. He is the first “Bubba” I’ve ever met, and he knew the very insect I was referencing – and directed me to The Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District. The executive director there was most helpful. 

He identified the plant on which they can be found, Kincaid’s Lupine. From that point on, it was easy-peezy. 

I googled the plant along with the butterfly and came up with a beautiful video, taken 11 months ago by film-maker Matt Cook, who had encountered the same challenge – finding the Fender’s Blue Butterfly was darn hard, even for an experienced nature photographer. 

He discovered it in Baskett Slough, a place I had trekked, as well. 

Meanwhile, I had sent an inquiry to the person most often mentioned as the Oregon expert in Fender’s Blue Butterfly, Matt Benotsch, of Greenbelt Land Trust in Corvallis. 

Benotsch advised me that the earliest emergence of adults of the species is in the last few days of April. I may be reading too much into this, but he seemed suspicious that I truly knew what I was looking for (this may have been because I kept calling the butterfly the “Fender Blue,” as if it was a car part, instead of the right moniker, Fender’s Blue.)

“I am curious where you see Fender's in Independence?” Benotsch wrote. “There are a few small blue butterflies that look very similar to each other, and they are all more common than Fender's Blue,” he stated.

“In some cases, you have to get a good look at the underside of the wing to make an identification,” he added. Well, this was something I hadn’t done. So, there you go, Matt Benotsch – you’re likely right. I probably saw a different butterfly alight near me all those years ago. 

But I like the answer that came from Matt Cook, the film-maker, best of all. He reassured me that “the butterfly is definitely elusive.”

So, thank you to both the Matts and a Bubba. 

Matt Cook is allowing me to show you his Fender’s Blue video, which I found inspiring. The link is below. Also, if you want to see blue butterflies en masse, I found a whole bunch of stickers of them at Hi-School pharmacy – but I think I cleaned out their current supply. 

By the way, if you do an internet search, you’ll find that the Fender’s Blue Butterfly is no longer on the endangered list but has become only “threatened.” There is a long list of how this happened – habitat protection, sympathetic landowners – but I think I know the main reason.

These butterflies are one of the most skilled of any in the animal kingdom at hide-and-seek. 
Matt Cook and Fender%27s Blue Butterfly fights extension at Baskett Slough Wildlife Refuge In Oregon - Search Videos ▪

(Pictured: The budget session this past Wednesday with inset of Brew & Tap's Mitch Teal; City YouTube video taken during Teal's testimony--in video foreground, City Finance Director Rob Moody (L) and City Manager Kenna West)

INDEPENDENCE BUDGET COMMITTEE UPDATEBy Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 2, 2025

The budget committee for 2025-26 is facing the wrenching task of approving cuts across city services. So far, the proposed slashes include reducing the library hours by one day a week, selling the museum building and combining it with the library, closing City Hall on Fridays and doing away with support for the city's Fourth of July celebration, “Independence Days.”

The reaction to the latter – a long-standing tradition beloved by many – was swift and continues. In an editorial analysis, Trammart News covers the response by a speaker this past week to the planned cancellation of  Independence Days in 2026 by the budget committee – and tries to answer resident questions in the section that follows it.

A plea to keep the Fourth of July celebration, the town's signature holiday, by scaling it down was publicly issued this week by the co-owner of a business that frequently seems the biggest draw for customers in downtown Independence, Brew Coffee and Taphouse, at the corner of C and Main streets.

In an address to the city's budget committee this past Wednesday, Mitch Teal, who owns "Brew & Tap" with his wife Cathy, noted that the revenue triples during the Fourth of July event. He urged the committee to keep it. "It doesn't need to be what it is now," he said. "It can be a lot smaller and still attract a lot of people."

This year's celebration will go on as usual; the cancellation is proposed to kick-in next year.

The Teal's coffee-and-tavern establishment, which features food ranging from pastry to pizza and drinks that include custom-coffee creations, is just one of the downtown businesses that could be seriously impacted, according to interviews along Main Street.

There may be long-term effects, as well, they predicted.

The loss of the town's Fourth of July celebration, Independence Days, could mean dwindling recognition for the city -- the event has drawn thousands to town annually. Lower familiarity of the quaint downtown and waterfront location threatens to reduce tourism, turning Main Street into more vacant storefronts and struggling businesses, according to several who were asked about the budgetary decision to "step away" from holding the event.

"It would affect a lot of people on Main Street," Teal affirmed in his brief speech to the budget committee members.

Residents have objected to the plan, as well, registering shock and sadness at public meetings, including inside conversations at the recent meet-and-greet of candidates for the new principal of Central High School last week.

One school-budget committee member, Shannon Ball, sent a letter to the city's budget committee explaining why. She pointed out that the budget document itself clearly states that two of the goals are community engagement and economic development. "But If you eliminate the Independence Days as proposed in the budget document, that is going against the goals of keeping the community engaged and providing economic development," she said.

"Independence Days is what our community looks forward to each year and what people in neighboring districts love about our town," she added.

Several of those affiliated with the city have said they hope another organization will come forward to take over the town's namesake holiday, which has linked the City of Independence with the Fourth of July – the town never fails to have impressive fireworks and lots of activities for families.

However, two groups identified as likely to take over have said there is little chance of that. Participants and supporters of the Independence Downtown Association or the Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce have indicated the event requires more volunteers and money than either is likely to have.

-- Questions and Answers --

The first six questions are from residents; The last four are from Trammart News. All questions were forwarded to the city communications director, Emmanuel Goicochea, who was contacted by email, letter and a phone call. No response was received. 

Trammart News attempted to address them through other sources, which are listed behind the answers below. Resident questions are boldfaced; Trammart News questions are not boldfaced, but answers are, to distinguish the two sets.

1) There's an ad for a finance manager – does this mean a new staff addition or is the finance director going to leave?

Yes, Rob Moody, the current finance director, is scheduled to depart the city staff in December. A replacement is currently being sought. (City budget meeting of April 30, 2025).

2) How would the 4-day weeks at City Hall save money? Does the staff work later? Or do they get to work remotely from home on Fridays? I don't understand this.

A precise dollars-and-cents savings wasn’t available upon request.  There was no discussion on cost savings by closing the library or city hall one extra  day a week, for example. But, it is one of the many changes, including no money for  book-buying, that seemed to prompt Library Director Patrick Bodily to tell budget committee members: "We have hit bone."  (City budget meeting, April 30, 2025) 

This appears to be an important sticking point with residents – several have asked for clarity. For instance, because the city manager was videotaped in her introductory segment to city residents accompanied by horses on her property – and she has mentioned her barrel-racing – one resident asked if she will conduct city business on horseback, the result of new three-day weekends. (There is no evidence of that, of course, but the question appears to reflect doubt about cost-saving; Another inquiry will be sent by Trammart News.)

The productivity results of a four-day work week have been found to be variable – possibly because so many factors can be at play. The four-day work week, or 4DWW as it is called, may mean longer days in lieu of Fridays or it may mean shorter, 32-hour work weeks for employees. Cost savings appear difficult to measure (T. Campbell in Management Review Quarterly, 2024, vol. 74, issue 3, No 16)

3) Why can't the city sell property it already owns – like the gravel-covered part by city hall – instead of a park?

This has been mentioned by several residents, and inquiries have been made by Trammart News, with no answer so far. However, the sale of property hasn’t yet been discussed in budget committee meetings. So, it may be addressed in the next meeting, scheduled for this Wednesday.

One finding so far: Finance Director Moody confirmed at a recent meeting of the Urban Renewal Agency that there are three unsold lots on the riverside stretch of property that comprise the city’s “Independence Landing” – the city purchased land containing those segments several years ago. They apparently are to be sold for development.

4) Where did the more than $750,000 shortfall come from? A councilor keeps asking that question, too.

Emails have been sent to City Manager Kenna West suggesting that a clear explanation of the origin of the shortfall is a good strategy to help prevent further distress – a method advocated by the Government Finance Officers Association. (https://www.gfoa.org/fiscal-first-aid)

To deal with shortfalls, some Oregon cities have formed independent teams of financial volunteers, whose report precedes the budget committee. Salem has an all-volunteer revenue-advisory task force, begun in 2024.  (https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/boards-commissions/other-advisory-groups/2024-revenue-task-force)

The Independence budget appears to have been presented as “balanced” last year, when approved by the city council. But a shortfall followed.

How do other local governments face this? Some Oregon cities have a “shortfall-busting” approach, to head this off. West Linn, for example, has a bar chart, which updates daily, in which a simple graphic shows how city spending is unfolding in critical areas – General Fund, Public Safety – compared to what has been budgeted. (https://westlinnoregon.gov/finance/financial-dashboard)

5) There is no news on how the eminent-domain property acquisition is going. Did the city buy the land?

The land changed hands from the farm family that initially owned the property but refused the city’s offer; Another buyer then purchased the land. The city and the new owner reportedly have been in frequent negotiations, but there has been no publicly disclosed update. (The Independent, Fall 2024, by Trammart News & Publishing)

6) Why does the public works director get to spend so much money?

On the city’s public works page a few months ago, 11 different projects were listed. Though not all were being actively constructed or repaired, there are multiple tasks (https://www.ci.independence.or.us/public-works-projects/)

The current public works director, Gerald Fisher, has announced plans to retire at the end of this fiscal year, so his successor may take a different approach to the job.

7) The bonds obtained by TN's recent public records request about payments for the Independence Civic Center show payments are being made on schedule for the bonds. However, the bonds appear to encompass more debt than the Independence Civic Center. Can you clarify?

No. Trammart News has made another public-records request.

8) Trammart News was told by state officials that making good-faith progress toward obtaining water-treatment funding for the technology to access water rights on the Willamette River could mean an extension for the city. Does that still hold?

Yes and no. If a water right isn’t used, it can become subject to forfeiture. But, to remove rights, the state is under obligation to show the water right is unused. Also, there are reasons to excuse non-use. It’s a complicated issue – and involves definitions of use, what constitutes progress, as well as other factors, according to the Oregon Water Resource Department.

9) To meet future water needs by 2028, water treatment expansion is needed – but that was an estimate made a few years ago when Independence was said to be one of the state's most fast-growing cities. That is not true now. No substantial growth has occurred since SDCs were raised. Does this change the date of the water-shortage projection?

Quite possibly. Population growth is relatively stagnant,(https://www.oregon.gov/das/oea/Documents/demographic.pdf)

 However, there are several new housing developments scheduled, and city officials  have said they expect them to come "online" in the near future.  (City budget committee meeting, April 30, 2025)

10) Is the $7.5 million loan taken out this year by the city – a line of credit with Umpqua Bank – limited to use for water infrastructure and design, or can it be used to shore up the shortfall or to meet other revenue needs?

Without seeing the loan contract, that remains an unknown. However, an experienced city administrator told Trammart News that the design of the treatment plant – for which the loan was taken out – is currently unlikely to exceed $4-to-$5 million. The total cost for the water treatment plant is estimated at $44 million, and most estimates put the design fee at 5% to 10% of that price (https://engineeringdesignresources.com/tag/how-to-estimate-engineering-design-cost-as-percentage-of-construction-cost/#google_vignette) ▪

[Pictured: Corvallis Road at twilight; Inset is annexation proponent and Public Works Director Gerald Fisher (Inset photo: city website)]

Some Corvallis Road residents push back to contain annexation attempt

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 2, 2025  

For years, Corvallis Road was a thoroughfare lined by houses with signs advertising blueberries or tomatoes and yards where domestic chickens and wild turkeys wandered. Now the roadway is a firing line for divided opinions on city annexation.

South of the city limits and inside the urban growth boundary are a group of residents who have succeeded so far in stalling an action to annex Corvallis Road – with a new hearing on it scheduled this month – but annexation of Corvallis Road remains a priority, according to a budget hearing last week.

In an address to the city’s budget committee, Public Works Director Gerald Fisher reiterated that the plan to bring Corvallis Road into the city limits is going forward. "The sooner we take control of that roadway, get it assessed, and know what improvements need to be done, we can get ahead of it, instead of letting it deteriorate,” he said.

The concern among residents isn’t deterioration – several say good maintenance has been provided by Polk County over the years – but they fear the annexation will impact their way of life.  Property on Corvallis Road is scheduled to be the new home of a $44  million water-treatment plant that is currently in the planning stages.

The decision by the city to annex Corvallis Road perplexed some residents in Independence – about a dozen showed up to protest it at a city council meeting last month. Rick Hopkins, who has lived in the area for four decades, thinks he knows why the city wants it.

Hopkins, a former fire chief of Polk County Fire District #1 in Independence, sees annexation of Corvallis Road as a starting point. If it occurs, his property and others would be surrounded by city limits – making further annexation relatively easy for the city. Just about all it would take is a council vote, he pointed out.

The annexation of the road seems a likely first step. "I would bet every penny I have in the bank that is the reason," he said.

To prevent that from happening, Hopkins and others are asking that the city enter into an agreement that would guarantee the rest of the area – meaning their homes and property – won’t be next, becoming part of the city.

Hopkins and several of his neighbors say the taxes would increase substantially, in his case to roughly $3,000 more a year. That could be tough to pay for retirees on fixed incomes – and that is how some of those living along Corvallis Road characterize themselves.

They would also have to pay utility fees – but Hopkins and others use their own wells and septic tanks.

Citing an Oregon statute that would allow such a moratorium on full annexation, Hopkins submitted a letter this week to City Planning Manager Fred Evander, asking for a contractual agreement. Evander, at the meeting in which residents along Corvallis Road spoke against the Corvallis Road annexation, said he would be happy to sign a letter saying the roadway was the goal, not the rest of the area.

The city is in debt, Hopkins pointed out. "It's all about the money," he said. "So, let's make a contract that is signed," he added.

Residents along the roadway are dubious about the Independence public works director’s opinion that the roadway would be better off under the city’s responsibility – the city is currently facing a shortfall of $776,000.

In fact, Polk County has the highest rated paved road system of any county in Oregon. “I don't necessarily agree that Independence needs the road to keep it from deteriorating,” said engineer Todd Whitaker, director of public works for the county.  However, “the bottom line is that annexation and jurisdictional transfer is a logical process of orderly development and Polk County encourages it,” Whitaker said.

A report of jurisdictional transfers was delivered Wednesday, at a meeting of the Polk County Board of Commissioners. However, so far Corvallis Road isn’t on the list of applicants for a transfer from the county to the City of Independence.

Hopkins said he agrees that once an urban growth boundary is established, it means a likely city extension in the future. However, residents are wary of how soon that will occur.

Corvallis Road property owner Kathy Hill, who is related to the pioneering Henry Hill family that founded Independence, acknowledged that there is some distrust in city government. “I think everybody our direction has gotten pretty leery” when it comes to city assurances of “they’re going to” or  ”not going to“ do something, Hill said. ▪

(Pictured: The event with inset of departing CHS Assistant Principal Laura Waight & CHS alum and booster, Mike Ainsworth)

Public event for meeting principal candidates at Central High School draws a crowd full of questionsBy Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, May 2, 2025
 
About 40 parents, teachers and residents showed up this past Wednesday at Central High School to meet candidates vying to be the school’s next principal – a job that so far has attracted no one with what one parent called “staying power” over the past few years.

Some of those who attended said they hope the tide will turn with a new top hire, after a discouraging trend of departures.  

The longest-running principal in recent history, Donna Servignat, served for four years in the post. She eventually was promoted to district-leadership position but left after an unanticipated salary decrease.

Servignat, who is now principal of Summit High School in the Bend-La Pine School District, was succeeded by a seasoned assistant principal, Brent “Mac” McConaghy, who left after only a year to return to Medford.

Subsequently, Dale Pedersen, a longtime school administrator, accepted the job as interim principal for the 2023-24 school years – and then was named CHS principal in 2024. However, Pedersen exited this spring after absences for health reasons.

Veteran Principal Greg English stepped in to fill those shoes for the rest of the academic year, but he was described as definitely a temporary replacement. Several teachers observed that English, who reportedly is well-liked, made it clear that he is ready for retirement. 

The three candidates who are competing to become the CHS principal in 2025 all have local ties to the Willamette Valley. Rick Dormer, the principal of Ketchikan High School in Alaska, has a work history that includes time at Sweet Home, Corvallis, Aloha, and Southeastern Alaska. He’s a graduate of Oregon State University. 

Dormer worked for nearly a decade as a teacher and more than 15 years as an administrator. 

Dean Rech is an alum of Western Oregon University, who has coached football, basketball, and baseball. Rech has spent a dozen years in the classroom and 17 years as an administrator. An online search shows he’s served most recently as principal of Junior-Senior High School in the Central Linn School District in Halsey and at Sheridan High School. 
.
Justin Lieuallen, a former high school science teacher, is the manager of Special Education Behavior and social-emotional learning programs in the Jefferson County School District. He’s been in an administrative role for 22 years.

Conversations among the three candidates, who were stationed at different points in the multi-purpose room for the meet-and-greet, seemed to focus on how to meet the challenges of the coming school year: the financial strain, the high absentee rates.

Several parents observed these are problems common in other districts. However, one cluster of them stressed that communication – good, steady, friendly communication – is what they hope to see in a new principal. 

Justine Netcher, who has younger children, said she was there to stay informed on who will be heading the high school, hopefully in years to come. As a graduate of Central High, she is a proud alumnus. “I would like my children to feel the same way, one day,” she said. ▪

(Pictured: Inset -- a screen shot of the city calendar available on the city's website; the subject of an editorial note at the end of this article)

City budget committee learns of underperforming revenue generation in urban renewal district

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 25, 2025 

A clearer picture of why the municipal debt tops $30 million emerged this week – and it ties to support and preparation for Independence Landing, the riverfront urban renewal project. 

By the end of the 2023-24 fiscal year, the city was owed $6.4 million by its own urban renewal agency, despite expectations that resulting property-tax increases would be able to support the loans that the city sunk into the development, according to Finance Director Rob Moody. He acknowledged that the results “haven’t played out as expected.” 

The information arrived prior to the city budget committee’s second meeting, which was held Wednesday night. During the meeting, City Councilor Dawn Roden, who had made the same inquiry at a city council work session the day before, asked about this year’s shortfall of more than $750,000. 

The cause hasn’t yet been fully addressed, though the budget last year was said to be balanced upon approval by the city council. This year city administrators, including City Manager Kenna West and Moody, said the city is spending more than it is taking in. 

The report by Moody was provided to city councilors after their work session Tuesday evening, when they convened as the Urban Renewal Agency. The councilors learned that the city-borne expense of turning a riverside  stretch of land once owned by a gravel company into a shovel-ready site, as well as providing incentives for building, ticked up to nearly $8 million by the time the first phase of the project, the Independence Hotel, opened its doors roughly five years ago. 

For example, about $2 million of charges for infrastructure to the developer, Tokola Properties, was waived during construction, according to the disposition and development agreement. The private-public partnership between the city and Tokola was announced in 2017; Groundbreaking for the hotel took place in 2018.

The city council at the time – which was headed by Mayor John McArdle and included present-day councilors Marilyn Morton and Kathy Martin-Willis – was cautioned about the possibility of accumulating debt by outside city auditor Kamala Austin, of Merina & Company at a city council meeting. She also noted that Independence was also being affected by subsidizing the municipal fiberoptic, MINET.

A consultant hired by the city showed that the urban renewal debt repayment would come from a special part of the property tax designated for the area –  called Tax Increment Financing – that was collected exclusively by the city. However, the actual proceeds for that fell short by nearly a  million dollars of what was predicted, according to Moody’s recent presentation.  

Refinancing on the bonds and loans was undertaken for some of the pending obligations – with a 50-50 split on repayment coming from the city and the Urban Renewal Agency, which contains Independence Landing’s 120-plus apartment complex and hotel. However, this arrangement meant depletion of the city’s General Fund, Moody explained. 

Currently, a payback to the General Fund for those loan amounts seems to rely on the cash flow generated by the Urban Renewal District, he pointed out.

Moody said an outside consulting firm, hired with grant funding, is expected to weigh in on that determination – and to provide an analysis “to support a path forward” in repaying the debt. 

So  far, the proposed city budget calls for cuts that include closing the  library an extra day per week, combining the library with the museum, selling the museum's downtown building and putting at least one park up  for sale. But the recent report by Moody also raises a question  previously raised by some residents: Why sell those current assets  without trying to market one or more of the three relatively large lots of city-owned property in the Independence Landing area?    

The city budget cuts will be discussed this Wednesday, April 30, at the budget committee meeting at 6:30 pm in the City Council Chambers at the Independence Civic Center, 555 S Main St. 

EDITORIAL NOTE

Keeping tabs on city meetings --Anne Scheck
If you're wondering how you can find the meetings of the Independence Urban Renewal Agency, I have found a way. It is w-a-y below, and thank you to City Recorder Myra Russell.

A word of advice: If you are depending on the city calendar to guide you to meetings, as apparently several residents do, perhaps you may wanna fuhgeddaboudit, as they say in 1940s mobster movies. 

In fact, this is how I've met a few locals – by using the city calendar, then standing in the foyer of city hall, with a couple of us asking each other: "Wasn't there supposed to be a meeting tonight? It was on the city calendar." 

On Tuesday night, the city calendar noted that there was a city council meeting – actually, a work session – but no mention of a meeting of the Urban Renewal Agency. It followed the work session, with exactly the same people (city councilors). 

This turned out to be an important meeting, at least in my view. 

I learned that the financial squeeze on the city is more like a huge vice grip, the kind that you might expect from a starving python. I'd discovered the meeting quite by accident. I tuned in to the video of the work session, to make sure I got all the information, after leaving the meeting a bit early.

Whoa, was I wrong. There was the Independence Urban Renewal Agency being held, seemingly without public notice. 

I filed a grievance with the city. If you don't know what that is, allow me to inform you that it is fairly new for all cities in Oregon. A bill passed by the legislature allows official public-meeting law complaints for those who feel a public meeting wasn't advertised. Anyone can submit one with their city. 

FYI, Springfield, near Eugene, has a good one that you could adapt for using in Independence. You can google it!

As it turns out, City Manager Kenna West assured me the meeting was "noticed separately" and the agenda was posted, legally. 

Well, I just couldn't find it. So, the hunt was on ... 

The city calendar was no help. Following the link posted there took me to an erroneous city council date of May 13, despite the fact that this was April 22. 

I sent a couple of screen shots to city administration. I thought this might prove convincing. But apparently it only showed that I was looking at the wrong agenda. This is because, again, to repeat myself, I was using the posting on the city calendar. 

The information was noticed correctly, West said. It was at the bottom of the "Agendas & Minutes" heading and section that one can click from the main homepage of the city website 

The fact that "it was overlooked by you or others does not translate to a failure of notice," West stated in her email response to Trammart News. "We cannot be held responsible for individual oversights or assumptions," she added. 
So, I withdrew the grievance. 

Meanwhile, City Recorder Myra Russell sent me two ways to be able to check on meetings. The first is to sign up for meeting notices. You can sign up using the city's Meeting Portal.

To do so, visit: City of Independence - Subscribe; choose the board/commission you would like to get notices about and complete the entry information. You will then get an email to confirm your subscription – you must click on the link inside that email to complete the process, Russell advised. 

As far as agendas of upcoming meetings, if you go to the city website and then proceed to “Agendas & Minutes” on the front page, it takes you to the Agendas and Minutes page. If you scroll down, you will see all the meeting dates and agendas posted there for the various city boards, commissions and of course, the city council. If you click on the “HTML” or “PDF” you can bring up the agenda for that meeting, according to Russell. ▪

Anne Scheck, Trammart News & Publishing
Editorial contact
[email protected]
(503) 409-9204

(Pictured: Inset -- Tina Andersen, longtime manager for the Polk County Fairgrounds & Event Center)

An inside look at Polk County Fairgrounds & Event Center -- and the proposed levy for it

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 25, 2025 
  
In the more than 25 years since she joined the staff of the Polk County Fairgrounds, Tina Andersen has battled bouts of scorching heat during the annual rodeo, addressed special crowd-control issues involving guinea pigs to goats and answered some of the same inquiries thousands of times – “Where’s the bathroom!” – in her role as manager of the fairgrounds and event center.
 
But now she’s fighting misinformation. As the campaign for a levy to help pay for maintenance of the fairgrounds goes forward, Andersen has seen online commentary that’s so far afield from fact-based she has trouble believing someone would post it.


However, she’s in the unenviable position of being relatively unable to address much about a levy vote on the May ballot, except for basic information. She works for the county, leaving her little room for advocacy.


So, when someone erroneously observes online that the fairgrounds don’t get enough grants, she can only counter that a fairly big one, of $130,000, was awarded by The Oregon Cultural Trust. 


And, as criticism rolls in that the fairgrounds have limited offerings, she can point to a list disproving that – ranging from a venue for homegrown musical groups like The Joe Shinkle Band to the annual Gem & Mineral Show, which returns every year. That event draws huge throngs of people, including busloads of school children on field trips to learn about geology through hands-on experience with rocks and stones and led by experts in the field. 


Though many people associate the facility with the county fair because both 4H and FFA groups prepare for it annually, there are lesser-known events that serve the community. A regular senior fitness class is provided in one building  – at no charge to organizers, Andersen said. Additionally, children and youth who need a place to practice their sport in winter can access a building for free, she added.


Tim Ray, who chairs the Polk County Fair Board, is not under the same constraints about levy campaigning. “As Chair of the Polk County Fair Board, I am proud to speak in support of the Polk County Fairgrounds and Event Center Operating Levy,” he said. “This levy is not just about funding – it’s about preserving a space that brings our community together, supports youth development, and strengthens the local economy,” he added. 


During the pandemic, the "Labor Day Fires" of 2020 left many homeless but some found temporary housing at the fairgrounds – 75 families were there, including many of their animals. Horses and sheep were housed along with family pets like dogs. 


The community outreach was phenomenal, Andersen recalled. One man arrived with a trailer-truck that had a pair of washers and dryers, so laundry could be done on site. The Grain Station in Monmouth fixed dinner nightly with donated food; Neighboring Rookies provided breakfast burritos. Teens from 4H and FFA showed up constantly to care for animals. 


Ray observed that the Polk County Fairgrounds and Event Center serves as a year-round hub for learning, celebration and connection.


Last year there were 642 events at the Polk County Fairgrounds, which holds a large monthly flea market, except in August. Family celebrations like quinceaneras and anniversaries are held there, too. 


As a result of keeping ticket prices and vendor fees low, needed work will be undertaken with the five-year levy. It calls for taxing property owners in Polk County 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value – believed to be among the lowest of any proposed tax increase in recent history. 


“This modest levy will ensure that we can continue to operate, maintain, and improve the fairgrounds for generations to come,” Ray said. “It will help cover essential costs, such as safety improvements, equipment maintenance, and infrastructure repairs, which cannot be met with existing funding.” 


In year one of the levy passage, electrical upgrades will be tackled. By the end of year four, it’s hoped a stage or amphitheater can be installed at the northwest corner of the property. 


“This levy reflects our shared values. It honors our rural heritage, invests in our youth, and keeps Polk County’s traditions alive,” Ray said. 


The levy offers the means to support and sustain a space that belongs “to all of us,” he said. “It’s a vote for community, opportunity, and the future of Polk County,” Ray stressed. ▪

(Pictured: Inset -- Owner and restoration planner Ted Baker at the Historic Preservation Commission meeting.)

Downtown historic building renovation project in need of building permit

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 25, 2025 A mercantile that sold dry goods on Main Street in Independence more than a century ago is being returned to its former historic storefront with the addition of large transom windows.

It’s only missing two items. One is a large glass pane needed to help finish the project and the other is a building permit.

A building permit? That’s right. The building’s owner Ted Baker of Portland, who formerly restored the Independence Opera House, didn’t remember to get one.

He and Shawn Irvine, the Independence assistant city manager, have been so involved with the effort – which was grant-funded through “Diamonds in the Rough” from the state’s historic preservation office – that it seemed to have slipped through the cracks, according to City Planning Manager Fred Evander, who noted the permit was missing at the Historic Preservation Commission last week.

Baker expressed contrition over the lapse, explaining that he was bent on meeting the terms of the grant.  “I honestly forgot that I also needed to apply with the city,” he said in a statement submitted to the HPC.

The commissioners approved the changes at the former 1913 emporium, which in that time period was known as “Wetherbee & Jones.”

After the meeting, Baker said his aim was to reinstate the original appearance of the building. He’s now on a quest to match the traditional lettering that once was on the building, at 284 and 286 S. Main Street, he said.

The newly refurbished structure, which once housed Lava River Forestry, has attracted interest from several prospective tenants, Baker confirmed.

However, he declined to identify who might be occupying the place where fabric was once sold under the heading “textiles” and clothing was billed as “ready-to-wear.” ▪

Pictured: Budget documents provided to the Independence Budget Committee, one for the city budget and one for the city's urban renewal district.

Independence's Budget Committee kicks off 25-26 cost containment process

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 18, 2025 

 
The first meeting of the 2025-26 budget committee was held this week. About halfway through it – just about the point where city administrators were explaining their commitment to transparency – a resident contacted Trammart News to report there was no video feed. A record of the meeting couldn’t be found by press time, either – despite a thorough search of the Independence YouTube channel.

So a TN editorial analysis about the meeting has been written. And a request has been sent for future budget meetings to be made remotely available, so that residents can judge for themselves what transpires, as well as reading about it from Trammart News. Thank you, Anne Scheck

The budget document became available after a training session for  committee members by Independence Finance Director Rob Moody Wednesday night.

Recommendations for budget cuts include shutting the Independence Library for one additional day per week, closing the Independence Civic Center on Fridays, selling the museum building and consolidating the museum and library into a single “Community Services” department. Under the plan, at least one park property would be sold, as well.

Will it be enough? And how likely is it that assets owned by the city will sell fast enough to rescue ailing finances?

Trammart News tries to unpack some of the ramifications of the proposal so far. The answer to the previous two questions is unknown. But it’s clear that the budget session is beginning with a $776,000 shortfall amid an economy that nearly every expert has described as unpromising. Trammart News poses some other questions – several of which have already arisen from residents – and attempts to offer some answers.

What is the need for additional cost reductions? TN’s guess is likely to be as good as yours, once you read the budget document, which is available at the city website (link is provided at the end of this editorial analysis). However, some findings do appear to be cause for ongoing concern: The city, technically speaking, is in the red if you call the General Fund’s deficit cause for further alarm. Charles Marohn, a municipal engineer and the founder of Strong Towns, a non-profit advocacy organization for better local government, might see it the same way. In a series of essays in which he argues for better city planning, he’s warned that some municipalities have been chronically over-spending. It’s not because they want to do so but because they chart budgets like many families plan household expenses, with “cash accounting.”

This approach “ignores promises and long-term liabilities that cities make, focusing only on the amount of cash coming in and going out,” he explained in a report he wrote a year ago for Strong Towns Digest. “Some people get upset when I use the analogy of a family budget for a city, but a city is just like a family,” he asserted. Cities have revenues and expenses “just like a family or a small business.”

He likened it to pledging to pay for a daughter’s college education. He could save money for it early on; He could borrow it when the time arrived; He could try to dramatically increase his earnings in time to pay those bills; Or he could tell her she is on her own.

“What I can’t do is not deal with it,” he stated. It appears to be the same with the City of Independence. There is no solution that seems capable of fixing the problem at this point, apart from drastic measures.

But now new approaches are in place, right? “Best Practices” have been implemented, correct? City Manager Kenna West identified the transfer of funds over the years that add up to millions of dollars allocated to places where they didn’t originate, such as the water fund contributing to services that weren’t related to water. But putting these funds into their own “buckets” with no possibility of any other use doesn’t seem to be what the State of Oregon had in mind when certain Oregon Revised Statutes were put into effect. ORS 294.468 allows the loan of any fund to any other fund, with some limits.

The Oregon State Treasury describes it this way: Interfund borrowing is a tool “to assist agencies experiencing short-term transitory cash imbalances created in the conduct of legislatively approved agency activities.”  (An interfund loan that isn't paid back is considered an interfund transfer, which the city is seeking to cease.)  

A former employee of a state government office agreed that it allows some flexibility in a pinch. “You can bet that sooner or later your city will need it and use it,” he told Trammart News.

What is a balanced budget? Good question. It’s typically equated with a budget in which anticipated revenues match expected spending. “Cities refer to their balanced budgets positively, as organizational achievements,” stated municipal consultant Mark Moses, a former city financial director, in his popular treatise on budgeting, “The Municipal Financial Crisis.”

But even a balanced budget may not stay that way, the definition veers from narrow to broad, he pointed out.

About a dozen years ago, two professors – Jonathan Justice, of the University of Delaware and Eric Scorsone, of the University of Virginia – published “Measuring and Predicting Local Government Fiscal Stress.” Three questions were found to be important for maintaining financial balance: The first asks if there are enough resources; the second asks if they are being managed effectively. But the third question seems to be relevant to several Oregon cities, including Independence. "Is your government paying the full costs of operating or is it postponing costs to a future period when revenues may not be able to pay these costs?" That seems to lead to an inquiry a city councilor brought to the first budget committee meeting, regarding the shortfall.

How will the shortfall affect the budget? This question was asked by City Councilor Dawn Roden in the wake of an announcement a few weeks ago that the city had one, in the amount of $776,000. However, Roden’s statement at the budget-committee meeting got lost in a shuffle when she also referenced the city audit, which was submitted and accepted last week at the city council meeting.

City Manager Kenna West told her that the audit is not the purview of the budget Committee – it is the purview of the city council.

When a former high-level state employee who has dealt with multiple budgets was asked about the shortfall, he indicated that it would be a serious disadvantage as a starting point for the city budget committee. “They will need to make several corrections to ensure stability and work toward sustainability,” he said.▪

Link to city budget document:  https://www.ci.independence.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Independence-BUDGET-2025-2026_-Proposed_-Final.pdf 

Pictured: Headquarters for Brandt's Sanitary Service with recyclables collection bins in front for customer drop off; Inset: Joshua Brandt.

Brandt’s Sanitary Service Inc. obtains rate increase and receives compliments from City Council

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 18, 2025

A 4% rate increase was granted this month by the city to Brandt’s Sanitary Service Inc., the company that collects solid waste and provides recycling pickup for households in Independence.

In a unanimous vote at its April 8 meeting, city councilors approved the 4% rate increase and retention of a previous 1.9% recycling fee. Several councilors commended the reliability of Brandt's, which is below the cost of many other providers across the region.

Joshua Brandt (in photo), who describes himself as “wearing 12 hats,” is a fourth-generation family member who runs the operation. He wants to keep the rate increases as low as possible, he told the councilors during a presentation on the rate hike.

He expressed hope that he will only have to implement them every other year.

The new billing, which will kick in May 1, arrives as dumping costs are ticking up – and eventual closure looms – at Coffin Butte, the landfill in Benton County, Brandt explained. Fixing the fleet of trash trucks has gotten more expensive, too – the price of parts is higher and so is the labor for repairs, he said.

For those homes that use a 35-gallon receptacle cart, the increase would mean roughly an additional $12 a year; For a 95-gallon cart, the cost would nearly double, to $24 annually.

The future appears destined to need more dollars for trash collection – notice of a 7% franchise fee by the city was included in the council's agenda packet for the meeting, as well.

Last week, Salem City Club covered the issue, too, in a session titled “A Deep Dive Into Garbage Pollution: The Future of Waste Management.”

The Oregon legislature passed the “Recycling Modernization Act” during the legislative session four years ago. However, starting in July, portions of the law on plastics and recycling are likely to start. Though the regulations are said to make Oregon a state leader in recycling, they’re going to have a local impact, according to Ryan Zink, franchise administrator for the City of Salem, who spoke at the city club meeting.

It remains to be seen what the trickle-down effect will be on Brandt’s. But one trend already is pushing up the need for bigger containers: Online shopping. Brandt said he is seeing the “Amazon effect” of multiple-packaging pileups that’s being cited by other trash haulers.

To continue the need for only the smaller 35-gallon cart, as opposed to the 95-gallon one, Brandt recommends relying on reusable bags, bottles and containers. But that can take time and planning, he acknowledged.

The company has been a mainstay in the Monmouth-Independence community since 1953. Brandt, a resident, noted he’s a current board member of the M-I Chamber of Commerce.

He praised Dave's Mobile Repair in Rickreall, which has been the company’s go-to shop for rehab and repairs on trucks.

Brandt also supports the proposed ReHub transfer station for regional waste management planned for the former Rickreall Dairy. He noted that the Polk County franchise agreement for it was tentatively clinched by the prospective owner, Apple Tree Holdings. However, the site won’t open until 2027 at the earliest, Brandt said.

Brandt added that he has “conversation and coffee” about once a month with Nic Dahl, who is at the helm of Apple Tree Holdings. “I know a lot of people may be against this,” Brandt said. However, it would put a facility nearby, rather than outside the county.

There is a lot of paperwork and “so many permits” before such an operation could begin, he said. But Brandt observed that the foul odors now emanating from the pond on the dairy property won’t happen with ReHub. “Their whole operation will be inside,” he pointed out. ▪

Pictured: Tiffany Dienhart, owner of Mayhem Mutts, offers her canine clientele a full range of services, all in the comfort of their own homes. (Submitted photos)

Mayhem Mutts makes house calls, caters to canine clients' needs

By Lance Masterson
For Trammart News Service, April 18, 2025

Mayhem Mutts is going to the dogs.

Tiffany Dienhart (in photo) owns the Independence-based and mobile Mayhem Mutts, which provides a full range of services to pooches in their own homes. The area served is quite extensive: McMinnville south to Corvallis, Dallas east to Salem, all spots in-between.

Mayhem Mutts got its start about the same time the pandemic hit. Given the fear, restrictions and public health warnings at that time, Dienhart decided to take her skills on the road.

“So I started out as just doing nails,” she said. “But now I do nails, mobile baths, face and feet trim-ups, glands, ears.”

A fairly comprehensive list, to be sure, but there is a line that Dienhart doesn’t cross.

“I do everything, I would say, except grooming … which, by definition, is a full haircut on a dog,” she said.

While guiding an upstart business through challenging times wasn’t easy, she remained confident she was providing a necessary service.

“During the pandemic, dogs still needed haircuts. Paws were still going to grow. Ears were still going to get dirty,” she said. “And so I slowly started … shaving pads, cleaning out ears, giving advice.”

By being mobile, she’s better able to care for pets whose human companions face other challenges, such as being homebound or on a limited budget.

“A lot of my customers are low income and elderly. Who can’t get out of their house, can’t afford a lot, and maybe has an older dog,” she said. “They love their dog. But they maybe don’t have the experience to know that, with an older dog, they’re slipping because their paw fur is covering their pads.”

Each dog is an individual and is treated as such, she said.

“All my appointments take a different amount of time because every dog is going to be different,” she said.

Dogs are collared before Dienhart enters a home. Once inside she positions herself to be eye-level with her four-legged customer.

“I tell the owner … I’m going to come in and I’m going to sit on the floor, and they can get in their wiggles, their barks, their growls,” she said. “So I literally just go in … and do whatever that dog needs to do to be comfortable with me.”

Dienhart has been doing this for so long she is now fluent in interpreting canine body language. She knows, for example, when a dog is ready to be approached, and when it isn’t.

“So every dog is different, and I’m very in tune with their needs,” she said. “I keep their needs in mind constantly.”

This love for dogs and other animals is rooted in Dienhart’s childhood.

“I’ve worked with dogs and animals, in general, my entire life. I got my first dog when I was six years old. I started grooming and showing her by the time I was seven,” she said. “Got my first horse when I was two. Started showing her as soon as I legally could.”

A former 4-H member, she eventually became a trainer and advocate. So what is it about animals that inspires advocacy in Dienhart?

“I would say everything. No matter what, they love you unconditionally. No matter what you do to them,” she said. “They’re without a voice. So we have to be their voice.”

One way to speak for animals is to document their abuse, especially when it involves 500 or so animals. Dienhart said she documented such extreme abuse.

At 13, Dienhart videotaped the rescue of these animals from a Molalla barn. She said her tape was later used as evidence against the owners.

“So these people were hoarding. Horrible, horrible hoarding situation,” Dienhart said.

She arrived on scene after her family was alerted by a call from a family friend. Animal advocates and law enforcement officials were already on the scene. 

“I was always in the middle of everything…. So I was filming while the police were dealing with the owners of the house, and while other rescue groups were slowly removing the animals,” she said. “We saved a lot of animals, and my video helped incriminate the owners. So literally, my whole life has been devoted to animals.”

Her camera took her to scenes of abuse not yet seen by others that night.

“I was walking around videotaping. And if there was an area where the police or rescue workers had not gotten to yet, I was videotaping it. Then going back to tell the rescue group, hey, there’s some snakes over there in a box,” she said. 

Dienhart is an experienced hand when it comes to animals and animal care. Some may remember her from when she worked at Jack’s World in Independence, a former pet grooming establishment.

You can reach her at (971) 241-1573 for more information or to schedule an appointment.▪

Pictured: Inset -- Carol and Mike Brown, who advocated against annexation of Corvallis Road

City Council votes to delay decision on Corvallis Road annexation

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 11, 2025 

A plan by Independence to annex Corvallis Road south of the city limits was postponed Tuesday night after adjacent property owners protested that the proposal raised bewildering questions and baffling answers. The move eventually will include what is known as a "jurisdictional transfer," which would place the road into city oversight. Corvallis Road is currently maintained by Polk County.

Independence city councilors voted unanimously to extend the hearing on the issue to May – the hearing drew about a dozen residents who reside by Corvallis Road inside the city’s urban growth boundary but not within the city limits. 

In giving their testimony, many along Corvallis Road said they feared there’s more than simply road annexation at stake, including the possibility of future zone changes, tax increases and the loss of their rural lifestyle. 

Noting that five generations of Henry Hill’s descendants have lived on property still owned by his family, Eric Hill called the letter he received about the Corvallis Road annexation “ambiguous.” Hill and others wanted to know if expansion beyond the road was under consideration, too. 

If it is, that would raise taxes by $3,000 annually for her property, said Michelle Lewis, adding that, with her husband’s retirement looming a few years ahead, the increase would be hard to bear. 

Lewis noted that several years ago an attorney was hired to ward off an annexation effort by the city. 

Mike Brown, who farms land on Corvallis Road with his wife Carol (photo to upper right), told councilors he was worried about the “farm deferral” for his land, where the couple grows blueberries and apples.

Portions of Corvallis and Hoffman roads, as well as a part of the old 6th Street, were part of the annexation proposal. However, it was the annexation of Corvallis Road that seemed to worry the crowd of meeting attendees. 

Though City Planning Manager Fred Evander reassured those at the meeting that there were no plans for broader annexation, urban growth boundaries serve to show where city limits are likely to extend. “Each Oregon city is surrounded by an urban growth boundary, a line drawn on planning maps to designate where a city expects to grow over a 20-year period,” according to an Oregon state advisory on land use. The growth can occur in ways that range from new houses to industrial facilities.

Several attendees said the annexation of Corvallis Road looks like a first step. 

City Councilor Marilyn Morton, apparently responding to those fears, suggested a letter from the city to reassure residents no future annexation beyond the right-of-way on Corvallis Road is planned. Evander agreed to write the letter. 

But some answers by Evander to those who testified proved confusing: they were stymied about why the city wanted to take on the added expense of street maintenance for a roadway currently under the county’s care. 

Evander explained that the right-of-way annexation for Corvallis Road would allow the city to make certain the roads met the current standards of Independence, as well as to control speed limits and set safety zones. 

“It is all about the roadway,” confirmed City Manager Kenna West, who also alluded to an intergovernmental agreement with Polk County for a water main line along the route, in preparation for a water treatment plant in the vicinity. 

The city needs “to be consistent with the intergovernmental agreement between Polk County and the City of Independence for the management of the Independence unincorporated Urban Growth Boundary,” according to the report provided to the Independence City Council. 

News that the annexation was needed to fulfill an agreement with Polk County prompted City Councilor Dawn Roden to cite that as a reason some property owners might be “hesitant”; The factors for annexation seemed to go from revising speed limits to a city-county IGA regarding a water line. 

A resident agreed with Roden, calling it “kitchen sink-ism” that was hard to grasp. 

County officials who were asked about the issue appeared reluctant to address it without more specific information on the annexation – the application for jurisdictional transfer of Corvallis Road from the county to the city hasn’t yet been received by the county. 

In fact, a hearing this week on jurisdictional transfers by the Polk County Board of Commissioners raised questions, too. 

Jurisdictional transfers are a complicated process that need more clarity, asserted Commission Chair Craig Pope.

"I want to have that opportunity," Pope said. "I'd love to find ways to clean things up," concurred Commissioner Jeremy Gordon

At the board of commissioners meeting, Talmadge Road in Independence was exempted from the discussion and inquiries about Hoffman Road were tabled. 

Like the meeting in Independence, the county commissioners delayed their hearing until May, as well. 

For jurisdictional transfer to occur, the road – whether whole or up to the center line of the road – must reside within the city limits of the city, according to Polk County Administrator Greg Hansen.  “Once that condition is met, then the city can request jurisdictional transfer,” he added. ▪

Pictured: Inset -- City audit, which was accepted this week by the city council

City council votes to accept the audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 11, 2025 

 The recent city audit shows debt that is old, new and misclassified. 

The old listing: MINET’s “doubtful account” remains, a debt of more than $4.1 million, which accumulated over the years when the municipal fiberoptic company was unable to make its bond payments and borrowed from the city to do so. 

The new debt: Independence failed to properly track over-spending in nearly a dozen categories, though it remains difficult to sort out how much of that is actually true debt. There was about $715,000 in expenditures that exceeded appropriations. Even though the funds in which these over-expenditures occurred may have had sufficient money to cover the overages, they weren’t handled appropriately. 

They should have been placed in a “supplemental budget” rather than recorded simply as over-runs, according to the auditors. 

The mis-classified debt: Transactions were called inter-fund loans when they should have been labeled as debt service. 

The audit was presented to the Independence City Council by Rob Moody, the city’s finance director, and Cyrus Ward, of Aldrich CPAs and Advisors LLP in Salem. 

Though the auditors spotted several findings that were flagged as falling short of minimum accounting standards, they didn’t necessarily reflect a serious book-keeping issue, Ward said. He pronounced the city as having a “clean” audit, despite these lapses, which were similar to those seen in other municipalities. 

Moody told councilors that the inter-fund loans have been corrected for the 2025-26 budget document. As for the over-expenditures, “we’ll just own those,” Moody said. “We’ll do everything we can to try to monitor those.” 

Moody added that this effort will be “stepping up our game a little bit.”

The audit, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, was approved unanimously to be accepted by the city council. It was signed by the auditing firm representative on March 31, 2025. 

Ordinarily, municipal audits are due by January 1 to the Oregon Secretary of State, but Independence requested and obtained extensions for filing the financial statements. The city reported that several factors contributed to the delay, including limited staff availability in the finance department over the last several months. 

(Note: During the council meeting Finance Director Rob Moody reported that full payments are being made on the debt for the Independence Civic Center. Trammart News has requested a record of those payments.) ▪

Pictured: Inset -- Recent school board meeting where finances were discussed (Photo CSD YouTube)

13J School District facing likely budget cuts in 25-26 school year

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 11, 2025 

Central School District finances have been dealt a new blow. An increase in absenteeism and a reduction in enrollment, among other setbacks, mean reimbursement revenue is headed down – making it necessary to plan for cuts.
“Although this is hard, we will have to move forward with cuts,” said CSD Superintendent Jennifer Kubista ( in photo to right) in her report at the school board meeting Monday night. Because funds from the legislature are still in flux, the fiscal picture could change, she said. 

However, plans need to be made for cutting personnel costs and paring down programs, Kubista said, noting that personnel comprise the lion’s share of the school budget.  

The "regular attenders" rate of students – as defined by attendance of 90% during the school day – decreased by 5% this year, to 62% of the student body. Enrollment dipped below 3,000 students, a downturn from last year. Both could mean a significant loss of state revenue. 

The current expectation based on the data: District trimming will be needed across the board. 

Other costs have risen significantly, but only a 3.3% increase is anticipated to this year’s budget due to the enrollment and attendance drops, Kubista explained, among other factors. PERS obligations continue to climb, and so do certain other costs. For example, the district is getting 28 cents of reimbursement for each dollar spent this year on high-needs special education; That's down from about 40 cents to the dollar last year, according to CSD figures. 

High-needs special education often requires assistive technology, extra time of personnel – including an assigned aide – and possible addition of special mobility accommodations. Several in CSD, including teachers and staff, have expressed worry that some federal money will dry up due to changes at the federal level under the current presidential administration.

How much strain is likely to result? It is "hard to predict," said Nathan Muti, who heads the teachers' union and was at the meeting when the announcement was made. Updates are anticipated throughout the spring as the state legislative appropriations become clearer, Kubista said. ▪

​Pictured: Photo of Central High School with inset of Waight, whose contract hasn't been renewed (Photo of Waight from CSD 13J YouTube video)

School board struggled to reach decision on non-renewal appeal

By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service, April 4, 2025 

 A school district meeting to re-examine a decision not to renew the contract of Central High’s popular assistant principal, Laura Waight, divided the school board in a split vote – with board member Jann Jobe calling the evidence presented a “collection of mish-mash data.” 

After two tie votes, Board Member Donn Wahl – who had refrained from voting – cast his vote to uphold the non-renewal, bringing the final count to 4-3. 

“The non-renewal remains in effect,” said Board Chair Byron Shinkle. 

The hearing began with testimony from Superintendent Jennifer Kubista, who said Waight engaged in “ongoing negative talk” about decisions and directions made at the high school, in violation of certain Oregon Administrative Rules. Such behavior constitutes insubordination, Kubista said.

The superintendent singled out alleged “behind his back” criticism of former CHS Principal Dale Pedersen by Waight. (Greg English recently stepped into Pedersen’s role for what is anticipated to be the remainder of the school year.) 

Waight, in her rebuttal, countered that the hearing was the first time she was allowed to respond to the assertions – accusations that she said she received only on March 21. They alleged she worked counter to standards of professional practice. However, there were no specific dates or other information. “The district implies that I stalk around Central High School angry and ranting,” talking about other administrators, she said. But “there was no opportunity to check their claims,” Waight said. 

Waight, who was in her three-year probationary period as an administrator after leaving the teaching  faculty, had been evaluated at several points after she became a new assistant principal at CHS, another administrator explained, after being asked by Trammart News how such evaluations are conducted. 

Waight  was repeatedly found "proficient" in her new role, according to  material presented at the hearing, although Board Member Steve Moser  pointed out that Waight was rated "basic" in a couple of the categories.  

The positive record, up until most recently, prompted Board Member Jobe to describe  the sudden findings as a "kaboom" that was difficult to understand. “The hard data just isn’t there for me," Jobe also said. 

The decision to uphold the non-renewal capped a two-and-a-half-hour-long midday meeting at Hawk Hall in the Henry Hill building with a full audience in attendance. Some attendees had to watch the proceedings elsewhere, due to being turned away after every seat was filled. 

One of those was Amy Lemco, who has two children enrolled in CSD 13J and is an active school volunteer. Lemco characterized it as “deeply disturbing that, for some board members, the deciding factor was ‘deferring’ to leadership.” 

Lemco observed that, just as Jobe said, it was “not that the evidence was undeniable and compelling.” In fact, “there was a resounding, articulate consensus from the community, calling for Ms. Waight’s non-renewal to be overturned,” Lemco stated. 

At the hearing, the audience erupted in favorable applause for Waight at several points, and at one juncture, rose to give her a standing ovation. Jobe called out for the participants to cease.

Such a hearing – and vote – exists to balance leadership with the will of the people, Lemco asserted. Jobe cited her time serving as principal of CHS as a period that demonstrated how important mentorship was to the development of good administrative growth. 

Waight, who had been a teacher at CHS, probably needed that – but there were “itinerant principals” at the high school, with the most recent one being unrecognizable to Jobe, she said. “I wouldn’t know the current principal if I ran into him,” Jobe said. 

“We are not giving an opportunity right now to continue stability in that school,” she added, noting that there has been a revolving door of administrators there. 

No board members directly opposed the views shared by Jobe, but the question of how to vote seemed to hinge on what to believe. However, Wahl pointed out that in any hearing, both sides present their best case. “And I can say with a great deal of conviction, I don’t believe either one of them,” he said. “I think there is a middle ground, probably some place where the truth exists,” Wahl said. 

Wahl said he was waging an internal struggle with determining the best way forward. 

Board Chair Shinkle stressed that insubordination undermines both supervisors and the processes put in place. 

The votes initially seemed divided between those members with public-education experience – Jobe, Peggy Clyne and Melanie Landon-Hays – and those whose work history is in other professions: Shinkle, Moser and Susan Graham.  

To some families, the outcome was one more reason to become concerned and involved in the local schools. Some have labeled 16th Street – the thoroughfare to Talmadge Middle School, Ash Creek Elementary and CHS – “school crisis lane” for administrative shuffling and principal losses in recent years. (See “Leaving Ash Creek” by Jessie Padilla in an accompanying article of this April 4 issue.) 

A grievance hearing related to the matter is likely to be held soon, but it’s expected to be conducted in executive session. Waight and her attorney, Nathan Rietmann, were asked by Trammart News if they had considered further litigation. Neither answered in the affirmative, but Rietmann indicated a lawsuit hasn’t been ruled out.  (Note: the entire hearing is viewable at the CS 13J website at the School Board page “Watch Board Meetings Live” YouTube link.) ▪

​Pictured: Photo of Ash Creek Elementary School with inset of departed Jessie Padilla (submitted photo)

Leaving Ash Creek: An assistant principal's parting words

Trammart News Service, April 4, 2025 

The letter obtained by Trammart News from Jessie Padilla, a former assistant principal at Ash Creek Elementary School, contained echoes of similar concerns voiced by parents and teachers over the past several months. This editorial look, which relies on Padilla's letter – along with recent negative public reactions to the school district – seemed to merit a response from the district. Some in the school system appear to feel that the district office turns a deaf ear to school administrators who are trying to instigate change. 

In a reply, Emily Mentzer, the communications coordinator for Central School District, recounted her experience – that each month, the district's leadership team meets, and has "hard conversations." The meetings include principals, assistant principals, and managers of departments. 

In her five years with the district, she's never heard someone be "shut down" who speaks their mind in one of these meetings. "The final decision may not align with what everyone wanted, but it is always what's best for kids," Mentzer said. "And everyone is heard, even when we disagree."

She reiterated that "in the end, we always put students first, and do what's best for them."

However, in leaving the district, Padilla seems to have reached the opposite conclusion -- with regret. Her letter follows. 


Dear CSD School Board Member,

I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to share my experience as a former employee of the Central School District and to express my deep concern regarding the decisions and actions currently shaping our district. My intent is to communicate from a place of care and a sincere desire to support positive change for the students, staff, and community we serve.

I dedicated almost 20 years to this district, first as a parent and regular volunteer, then as a teacher and behavior specialist, and most recently as an assistant principal at Ash Creek Elementary. My commitment to this community runs deep – my husband and children are all graduates of CSD, and I have personally called Monmouth/Independence home for nearly 25 years. I obtained my teaching education through WOU, student-taught in this district, and envisioned my role here as a lifelong career, firmly rooted in my values of service-based leadership, accountability of community, and a deep commitment to the well-being of our students, families, and staff.

However, over the past several years, I began to recognize a growing misalignment between the district’s publicly stated values and its actual practices. Time and again, I witnessed actions and decisions that did not reflect the vision and goals we claim to uphold, particularly when it came to the treatment of individuals – both adults and children. Out of my deep investment in this district, I worked diligently to communicate my concerns through appropriate channels, always with the intent of fostering dialogue and identifying solutions.

Rather than being met with meaningful action, I found that concerns were acknowledged but largely unaddressed. I remained hopeful that constructive conversations would lead to change, but after years of trying, I had to accept the reality that the district’s core values no longer aligned with my own. The heartbreaking decision to leave my position was not made lightly. I quietly and respectfully transitioned out of my role, ensuring those most impacted by my departure were informed and supported, all while navigating the personal toll this decision took on my family.

A week after submitting my resignation, I was unexpectedly placed on administrative leave with multiple restrictions. The stated reasoning for this action was categorically false and outside my sphere of control, but both COSA and affiliated legal counsel informed me it was a discretionary decision by the district. Directives given included not being present on/in any district properties or facilities, being "directed to stay away" from all CSD sponsored activities (on or off district property), and to not have any contact with CSD students or families except in my private capacity as a family member. I was to do all this while remaining "available to meet in person during my established work hours", which meant I needed to stay local and out of sight, as even an outdoor walk or a stop at the grocery store typically resulted in several interactions with CSD families who questioned why I wasn't at work or why I was ignoring their attempts to communicate around existing student needs requiring attention. The timing, just before Winter Break, meant I vanished from the lives of students, families, and colleagues who relied on me, offering no closure or explanation for my abrupt absence.

For students who depend on school as a source of stability, the days leading up to a break can be especially challenging. I had students who were checking in with me, seeking support, and preparing for time away from school – only to find me suddenly and inexplicably gone. When the stated reason for my leave was officially cleared six days before my last day of employment, 
I requested to return to work or at least have the opportunity to connect with those I had served for over a decade. That request was met with silence after an initial response of needing time to consider my request. My last day came and went without an opportunity to say goodbye, to reassure students and staff, or to bring any sense of closure to the relationships that had defined my career.

I share this with you not as an isolated personal grievance but as one piece of a larger pattern that many in our community – staff, students, and families alike – are speaking out about. The culture within our district is causing harm, and concerns raised by invested stakeholders are too often met with avoidance or inaction. We must do better.

I remain deeply committed to the success of this district, even as I transition away from my role within it. I urge you, as elected leaders, to listen to the voices of those expressing concern and to take meaningful steps toward restoring alignment between our district’s values and its actions. The well-being of our students and staff depends on it.

In closing, I would like to share a few excerpts from notes written to me by Ash Creek students and delivered to my doorstep this week. I hope you share in the sadness I feel reading the words of some of our youngest and most vulnerable community members as they try to make me feel good, hope for my happiness, and assure me they are ok.

One of the core components of my job as an educator is to never let my own adult needs weigh on the lives of my young students. I hear the weight of confusion, worry, and loss as a result of the manner in which I left them.

● “I hope you’re happy at your new job” and “I miss you” were stated over and over, which felt heartbreaking in itself as I saw the signatures of those who wrote those words and knew they had no understanding of why I left them or if it was because of something they did that made me unhappy

● “I’m happy you got a new job but I’m sad you left this one”

● “I’m so glad you found a good job, we will all miss you here at Ash Creek, you were awesome here and I’m sure you will be awesome at your new job”

● “I’m so happy that you got the job. I hope you are happy with the other job. I miss you. Thank you for your help”

● “I hope you miss us sooo much and come back please. But when you’re in Portland, you should get Voodoo Doughnuts. They’re super-duper good. I love that you got a new job. I’m happy for you, but I’m also sad. I hope the volcano doesn’t explode. You should come back and visit us at least 1 time a month. That means you visit us at least 12 times a year”

● “I’m so happy for you. I hope you are happy, too. But, I will miss you. You are awesome and wonderful and kind and helpful. I hope you like your new job”

● “You have been the best person in my life. Thank you for everything. I hope you have a better job now”

● “Thank you for supporting my family through tough times! Thank you for being very nice to me and my brother. We will miss you!”

● “You are one of the kindest people I know, and I am really happy for you. You are so strong and have a great smile. We loved having you and we will always remember you”

● “I hope you have a good new job. I hope you come visit us!”

● “I hope I see you again” (1st grader)

● “I am happy you were here” (1st grader)

Thank you for your time and consideration. I am happy to further discuss my experience and concerns if that would be helpful in your efforts to strengthen our district for the future.

Sincerely,
Jessie Padilla ▪

​Pictured: Inset--Yareli Caballero (with drill) & Kaylin Echeverria work on plane with Pat Hatfield (R). Photos by Lance Masterson

Local program provides teens with guidance, plane facts

By Lance Masterson
For Trammart News Service, April 4, 2025 

Alec Jones is getting quite an education in aviation.

“I’m learning how to build airplanes. I’m learning how airplanes work. I’m learning the parts of them,” he said. “I’m learning … the technical side that you don’t really see when you’re flying in an airplane.”

Jones’s classroom is the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 292 building at the Independence State Airport. His instructors are EAA volunteers who lend teens their expertise and guidance in the building of airplanes. (Jones with David Ulman in photo at right.)

Participation in Teen Build is free and open to those ages 14-19. Classes are on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Jones, a sophomore, attends Franklin High School in Portland. He learned of Teen Build after participating in Teen Aviation Weekend, also sponsored by Chapter 292. The opportunity to build planes piqued his interest in the program.

“I’ve always liked flying. As I got older, middle school, high school, I started exploring job opportunities in aviation,” he said.

Participation in Teen Build is partially responsible for a slightly altered career choice.

“At first, I thought I wanted to be a pilot,” Jones said. “But now I think I want to go down … the aerodynamics and engineering route.”

Jones is also learning to apply mathematical equations to real world problems, like how to figure out angles of ailerons and other aviation-related quandaries.

“I learned about the Pythagorean theorem in geometry. I just didn’t really know how to apply it to real life. But now it’s like, oh, that’s how I do it,” Jones said. “I’m in manufacturing at school, metal shop. So I’m using a lot of these skills there. Measuring and planning out things. Figuring out the angles of stuff.”

He has been with Teen Build for less than a year and has worked on three planes, each with different challenges. The planes students work on are often donated by or belong to EAA members.

While Jones learned of Teen Build through online searches, Yareli Caballero discovered it through the Career Technical Assistance Center, an occupational training program offered by Salem-Keizer School District.

Caballero, a senior at South Salem High School, has been accepted into the aviation maintenance program at Lane Community College. As such, she’s following in the footsteps of former builders.

“Our teens often go into aviation as a career. One young lady is now a junior in mechanical engineering at OSU. One’s a professional pilot. One’s a mechanic. One’s a high school teacher, teaching aviation. And one’s an ag pilot,” Youth Activities Chairman David Ullman said of the program’s success. “So we’ve had some influence on young people.”

For Caballero, Teen Build proved to be a portal into a different, more challenging world.

“I just really like the hands-on-ness of it. I like being able to build, to learn how to use tools, and using those tools to create a project. I just like making it come to life,” she said. “I’m really excited for the day the plane takes off and flies, seeing it go off the runway. Knowing I helped build it; that I’m part of the reason why it’s able to go up in the sky.”

Caballero has been interested in building things since she was young. But Teen Build takes the complexity of her projects to a higher level.

“I’ve built certain small projects, but nothing like this, where it's super hands-on. Working with tools. Working with machines. Working with metal or fiberglass,” she said. “So all of this is kind of new to me…. I’ve had to learn to be more independent with the work that I do.”

Volunteers demonstrate how to complete a task, and then take a step back. It’s part of the ‘on-hands-ness’ approach that Caballero appreciates.

“(Volunteers) go over the steps that need to get done. They show us how to get started. Then they let us take over and take charge. Well, okay, this is how it’s done,” she said.

Volunteers step in and take control, as needed.

“All these kids are gaining confidence, because the way we work with them, generally, we show them how to do a task. Walk away … (but) close enough where we keep an eye on it, making sure that it isn’t going to go south,” Ullman said. “I think most anybody with reasonable skills can do these things with supervision.”

Volunteers understand competency differs with each teen, especially in the early stages of their development.

“They come to us with all kinds of different skills. None of the skills are what they need to build an airplane. Because airplanes are made out of metal, wood, fiberglass, and different kinds of material. There’s electronics in them. There’s engines. Airplanes have just about everything,” Ullman said. “So for as far as specific skill sets, they can’t possibly have the right ones. So we teach them those.”

Among the skills taught, how to use power tools, how to read plans and “how to go into a thick book … and find the right place to see what the designer said you should be doing,” Ullman said.

It often takes time before a teen is ready to commit to Teen Build. They want to make sure it’s a good fit for them. For others, the attraction is evident almost immediately. As it was for this teen on his Young Eagles flight.

“Generally, the way the flight goes … is that they take off, get up to around 1,500 or 2,000 feet, and the pilot just turns to the kid and says, ‘it’s your airplane. Let’s go’,” Ullman said.

Relinquishing control is possible, in part, because modern airplanes are very stable.
“If you don’t touch them, they’ll just keep going. So it’s not dangerous in any way,” Ullman added. “The kids, having all flown simulators, grab onto the controls and start moving things.”

What happened next with this young man was a reaction that was a cut above what’s normal.

“(We’re) talking. He’s doing really good. I say, change the heading. He changes the heading. I say, change altitude. He changes the altitude. Doing really well, and then he went real silent on me. And I wondered, what’s going on here?” Ullman said. “Then he turned to me and said, ‘I was born to do this.’ Okay, bingo! We got that one!”

Writer’s note: You can reach Chapter 292 at 503-383-9010 for more information. ▪